WAVE BUSTER’S 106.87 AGGREGATE TOPS DIVISION 5’S CLASS OF 23’!
by Jack Holmes

Richard Geiger fishes a 19’ Mercury powered Pro Line named Wave Buster. He had the biggest three-fish aggregate in the Class of 23’ this season and the fourth biggest aggregate for the whole season in Division 5. Richard and team members David King and Thomas Wyatt scaled a 39.80 in Jacksonville, a 36.53 at Boater’s World and a 30.54 in Fernandina. It’s one of the biggest three-fish aggregates we’ve seen in the Class. Last year Dr. Hook’s 96.82 was considered excellent. Richard said he’s ready for Biloxi. He could be the only Captain to win the Nationals in a 19-footer. Wouldn’t that be something!
Charles McGarity’s Cayjen Con went from 26th place to second overall thanks to the 40.15 caught in the season ender in St. Augustine. Along with Wayne Scarborough Jr., they also had a 23.80 from the Kingbuster and a 33.31 from Boater’s World for 97.26 points. The Mercury powered Sport Craft team knocked out a couple of teams who were already packing their bags to go to Biloxi. Remember it’s not over till it’s over.
Richard and Robert Thomason, who fish on the Crackin Dude, are truly one of the better teams on the trail but like a lot of teams they have their ups and downs. This year they turned in a stellar performance and earned third. They scaled a 31.10 in the Ancient City event, had a 31.95 in Jacksonville plus a 28.77 from Boater’s World for 91.82 points. A focused team here could give them sport fishing’s most coveted title this year. No one is more experienced to get the job done.
Geoffrey Stam fished a boat called Second Chance the last couple of years but you really didn’t know he was around. This year he’s got a boat called Turn 3, a Yamaha powered Contender, and it’s made a difference. Try a 91-pound three fish aggregate! He came from 25th in the standings in the final event to fourth overall. But he didn’t get to 91 pounds on just one fish. His team was consistent picking up a 22.60 to start the season, then a 35.30 in Jacksonville and then a 33.70 in Ancient City. Is this a fluke? I don’t think so, he’s paid his dues. He’s another force to be reckoned with in Division 5. The only problem is that his team didn’t sign up for SKA. Stam now needs a team to go to the Nationals.
Joe Noda’s Jawbreaker picked up fifth overall. Noda and Jimmy Adelsperger scaled three kings, the biggest a 33.29 at Boater’s World and then a 31.30 at Ancient City to go along with a 22.45. That’s 87.04 points. This was another team that drastically changes the overall standings. Noda and Adelsperger are good enough to be the king in Biloxi. The team must stay focused now and do their homework. I know they can get it done!
Robbie Bishop Jr. is another Captain who should be a top contender in Biloxi. He fishes a lot of tournaments a year and is a threat in any event he enters. This year he was sixth in the Class with 86.70 points. His biggest was a 32.20 caught in St. Augustine. Bishop fishes with his daughter Kristen, Richard Bishop and John Peiffer. Bishop finished 27th last year in the Nationals. He knows where to go and how to do it. He is definitely a top ten favorite to win the event.
Mike McRae won this division last year and he’s right back again this year, finishing seventh with 85.33 points. His Dr. Hook team of Mal Henson, Skip McRae and Chuck Brown III weighed a 31.30, a 33.20 and a 22.45 to make the qualifiers list. Like Bishop’s team, McRae was in the top 20% of finishers in last years Nationals. The Mercury powered Cape Horn team knows they can do better.
Nick Caruk and Jeff Birdsong picked up eighth overall on the Pack Dog. The Yamaha powered Contender team weighed a 27.60, 35.70 and a 21.50 for 84.80 points. This team did everything right this year. Welcome to the Nationals!
Ninth place fell to J.L. Lee’s Wave Rider. He and Victor McFalls and James Pickett only had two fish on their side of the ledger and needed another good one to get qualified and make the top ten overall. A 23.70 was all they needed in Ancient City ending with 84.51 points. This is the team’s best finish to date. One they certainly can be very proud of.
Tenth went to Vernon, David and Taylor Rice on their Attitude with 84.28 points. Their biggest king was a 31.95 caught in Jacksonville. They fish a Yamaha powered Sailfish and finished ninth in the Nationals last year. This team, along with the 11th place qualifier, Colt Lewis’ Wet Dream 2 who finished fifth overall in the Championship, should bring the title to the first coast.
This is going to be very exciting to watch these competitors in this years Championship. There is certainly a lot of talent poised and ready.
Thanks for making this a great and memorable season!